Processability of PEEK, a new polymer for High Temperature Laser Sintering (HT-LS)

•First study into fabrication of laser sintered PEEK samples using EOSINT P 800.•First analysis on variable size chamber and post sintering time of the EOSINT P 800.•Mechanical properties of PEEK samples improve with higher energy densities.•Tensile strength of laser sintered PEEK is only 25% lower than HP3 PEK.

Currently, the HT-LS sector is predominantly based around one commercial Poly Ether Ketone (PEK) polymer. Although the combination of polymer and process works well, a lower melting temperature polymeric material, part of the same Poly Aryl Ether Ketone (PAEK) family would be preferable in certain applications. This study presents the optimisation and characterisation of Poly Ether Ether Ketone (PEEK), a polymer which is part of the PAEK family with a 30 °C lower melting temperature than PEK. The systematic characterisation of laser sintered samples of PEEK revealed a very good overall performance in comparison with the HP3 PEK material, with no change in storage modulus and only 25% drop in tensile strength. The possibility of variable building configurations available within the HT-LS system, i.e. reduced, half and full chamber building modes, is examined in relation to the mechanical performances of the components. The effect of the post sintering time, an additional heating phase supplied to the powder bed at every layer, found only in the HT-LS system EOSINT P 800, is also examined.

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